Book: The Last Battle by C.S Lewis

Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #7

Publisher: Harper Collins

Release Date: 1950

Rating: 3 stars

I hate that feeling when you finish a book, particularly one like Narnia, when you have to leave a world that is the complete opposite of your own and come back to reality, which is really boring in comparison. I felt like this during the last few chapters of Narnia when I knew my time was up and I'd have to get sent back to my boring world of school and work and non-talking animals.

I really enjoyed this book. There was action from the very first chapter and no waiting around like in some other books. The story was good too; the whole concept of the fake Aslan and being run by an Ape (wasn't expecting that). I didn't like Jill in The Silver Chair as she reminded me too much of Lucy who was way better than her, but she really became her own here. She stopped being afraid and knew she would fight for Narnia until the very end. 

SPOILERS SPOILER SPOILERS!!!
But - problems. Susan. Susan! Christ, when I read that she grew out of Narnia, I nearly banged my head on a wall. What the fuck? She's one of the 4 prophesied children from the first book to save Narnia! Why cut her out of the final book, the epic finale? It was moronic, stupid, idiotic... how many more adjectives should I add? (Groan)

I liked the concept of Narnia being reborn as a heaven, but the way they had the children enter this heaven? By dying in a railroad accident. But there's the one maybe not-so-obvious exception of Susan. Because Susan doesn't believe in Narnia, she wasn't on the train, and so... Yes! She lost her ENTIRE FAMILY. How cruel is that? Lewis is basically saying that if you stop believing in God, your punishment is you lose your family. Is that a good moral to be teaching your children?

OKAY DONE SPOILERS :)
But if I'm reviewing the entire series in a whole, it’s really good. The story is imaginative, the world is extremely unique, and you just fall in love with the characters, especially the minor characters like Trumpkin the Dwarf and Tumnus. I would definitely add it to a read-before-you-die list. This book will remain a classic for many years, perhaps another fifty more years.

Definitely a book that will make you think, at very random moments, what life would be like if you went to Narnia.